Introduction
My name is Bryan Gómez López, and I am currently studying Computer Systems Engineering at Universidad Fidélitas in San José, Costa Rica. I am passionate about technology, especially software development and, more recently, cybersecurity.
The WP Credits program started as a requirement for one of my university courses. However, as the weeks went by, I became more interested in the project and everything I was learning. This was my first experience with WordPress, the WordPress community, and open-source contribution, particularly in the area of translations.
During the last 12 weeks, I contributed to the WordPress Polyglots Team by translating the Sydney theme into Spanish (Costa Rica). This report summarizes my contributions, what I learned throughout the program, and how this experience helped me grow as a contributor.
Teams and Projects I Contributed To
Throughout the WP Credits program, I contributed to the WordPress Polyglots Team. My main project focused on translating the Sydney WordPress theme into Spanish (Costa Rica).
The goal of this contribution was to make the theme more accessible to Spanish-speaking users by providing accurate and high-quality translations. Although the project was centered on translation, it also introduced me to the collaborative workflow of an open-source community and the importance of localization in making technology available to people around the world.
Learning Resources
Throughout the project, I relied on several resources that helped me understand both WordPress and the contribution process.
The most valuable support came from my university professor, who guided us during the entire program and answered many of our questions. I also used the materials provided by the university, participated in Slack discussions whenever I needed help, and followed the WordPress Polyglots Handbook, which explained how to get started as a contributor and how the translation workflow operates.
These resources made it much easier to understand the contribution process and gradually become more confident using the platform.
Challenges and Solutions
The biggest challenge I faced was learning how to use WordPress and its translation platform because I had never worked with WordPress before. Everything was new to me, from creating and customizing my profile to finding documentation and learning how the translation tools worked.
At the beginning, the learning curve felt challenging because I had no previous experience with the platform. However, by following the documentation provided by the Polyglots team, asking questions when necessary, and practicing regularly, I gradually became familiar with the tools. Over time, I became much more comfortable navigating WordPress and completing translation tasks efficiently.
Another challenge was maintaining consistency while translating a large number of strings. To solve this, I carefully reviewed previous translations, followed the glossary and style recommendations, and paid close attention to context before submitting new translations.
My Contributions
During the WP Credits program, I translated more than 170 strings for the Sydney WordPress theme into Spanish (Costa Rica).
My completed translations can be viewed through the following contribution link:
I also documented my progress throughout the project by publishing weekly blog posts and sharing the work completed during each stage of the program.
Key Learnings from the WP Credits Program
One of the most valuable lessons I learned was understanding how an open-source community works. Before joining the program, I had never participated in a collaborative project of this scale, so it was interesting to experience how contributors from different backgrounds work together toward a common goal.
The program also taught me the importance of communication and collaboration. I learned how to ask questions, interact respectfully with other contributors, and seek guidance whenever I encountered a challenge.
Another important takeaway was realizing how valuable translations are. Making software available in different languages allows more people to learn, work, and contribute without language becoming a barrier. I now better understand the positive impact that localization has on making technology accessible worldwide.
New Skills Gained
Technical Skills
- Learned how to use WordPress and its block editor.
- Gained experience with the WordPress translation platform and the Polyglots workflow.
- Learned the fundamentals of contributing to an open-source project.
- Improved my understanding of localization and translation best practices.
Soft Skills
- Improved my communication skills through discussions on Slack and collaboration with other contributors.
- Strengthened my time management by dedicating consistent weekly hours to the project.
- Developed mentoring and teamwork skills by helping classmates solve problems and providing guidance during the program.
- Improved my ability to give and receive constructive feedback in a collaborative environment.
Personal Reflections and Next Steps
One of the things that surprised me the most was how welcoming and accessible the WordPress community is. At the beginning of the project, I felt nervous because I had never used WordPress before and had no experience contributing to an open-source project. However, as I explored the platform, participated in Slack discussions, and learned from the available documentation, I realized that the community is very supportive and encourages new contributors.
I also enjoyed discovering how easy it is to build websites using the WordPress block editor, even without having extensive programming knowledge. This was my first experience creating content with WordPress, and it gave me a better understanding of why the platform is so popular.
After completing the WP Credits program, I would like to continue contributing to the Polyglots Team by translating additional themes and plugins. In the future, I would also like to review translations submitted by new contributors and explore other ways of contributing to WordPress, such as working with tickets and participating in other contributor teams. This experience has motivated me to remain involved in the WordPress community and continue developing both my technical and collaborative skills.
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